Vancouver Sun Run and the Reluctant Runner

Here I go again. I have long ago established with deathly certainty that I am not a runner but when my son asked me to run with him in the Vancouver Sun Run this year, of course, I couldn’t say no.

So here I am on the eve of the run, thankful that I have remained healthy (one year I had signed up and trained for the Run, but got a dastardly lung infection and had to bail out – got the t-shirt and everything), fully aware that I haven’t trained enough, hoping that I would at least survive the 10 K run or that I wouldn’t terribly embarrass my son who has followed the training regimen of running several Ks three times a week. Did I mention to you he’s only 10?

So here’s my plan. Show up early. Race starts at 9 am, but we’ll be there at 8. Do some stretches. Act like I’m raring to go. Take our place at the starting line (somewhere near the Vancouver Art Gallery), and let the mass of 55,785 runners carry us to the finish line. See above photo. Yes, that’s it. With that number of people mashing together shoulder to shoulder no one would notice. It’ll be akin to the crowd surfing that happens at concerts. Wait, Matt would notice. Scrap that.

10 Kilometers? Do I have to run the whole thing? Yes, the whole route. I hear there will be volunteers splashing you with water as you run. At least we’d be running through scenic spots that may well help me forget the throbbing in my feet as I pound the pavement. Actually I’ll be focusing on the free hotdogs available at the BC Place Stadium where the finishers go. Umm hotdogs.

Wait, what’s the forecast for tomorrow? Is there a chance 2 feet of snow would fall and the whole thing would have to be called off? The reluctant runner can only hope.